Great Divide
by rookietrainer
Summary: Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice." Eventual Elsanna/Non-Incest
1. Lost

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter One**  
**Lost**

* * *

"Are you warm enough feisty pants?"

Anna's hands eventually found comfort on the mazer. The warmth of the soup enveloped the wooden surface, thoroughly transferring heat to the palms and fingers of her cool hands.

"M'hmm." she dreamily replied and enjoyed the pleasant sensation that surged into her nimble appendages.

"Thanks Kristoff."

He smiled genuinely at her before turning his attention to a loaf of bread. Anna cringed from where she was seated when her friend tore the bread in half. It produced a crunching sound that suggested it was dry and quite possibly hard. The bread landed with a soft thud on the table when she failed to catch it in mid-air. The sound it made when it came in contact with the fresh lacquer proved that her suspicions were right.

"Great," Anna gingerly picked up her share and pouted at the display of burnt crust right in front of her turquoise eyes. "Would it hurt to serve something soft and flavorful once in a while?"

Her blond friend sighed before biting off a huge chunk from his bread.

"I'm an ice harvester," he flatly began, shooting the strawberry blonde a bored look before continuing like it was necessary to explain further. "I sell ice for a living. Don't expect cheese and milk to go along with a hearty loaf of bread."

"A hearty loaf of _burnt_ bread." Anna corrected, pointing a wooden spoon at him after sipping the contents of the soup from it.

Her friend merely rolled his eyes as he gulped down the viscous liquid.

She giggled at this.

Kristoff was her best friend. They've known each other ever since they were little. She had always thought of him as her big brother, her own version of a protector. He was ultimately her shadow; sticking with her through thick and thin, rushing to her aid whenever something uncalled for happened and by just staying beside her during her darkest hour did the strawberry blonde prove that she couldn't have asked for the perfect companion.

He was the knight who rescued her from the desperation and depression that her parents' deaths had caused. He wasn't the typical chivalrous and righteous man who came to her in a shining armor riding a white horse. No, he was rugged and rough around the edges with a temper to match his anti-social attitude—Sven, the reindeer was the only friend he had apart from her.

Anna had to spend gruesome days trying so hard to not recall the horrid events, but every time she tried, she had always failed. It was comparable to an infinite broken loop where all she could feel was pain and agony and the worst part was, there was no means of stopping it. Kristoff played a great role of picking up the broken pieces and time had played the greater role of putting them all back together. It was a long and slow process with no shortcuts. There was only Anna and Kristoff and the empty promise of breaking out of the prison they've inevitably created. They've managed to break free, and just like any other wound, the passage of time had healed the rift in their hearts leaving only a scar as a faint reminder.

Kristoff was her friend, her brother, her knight, not lover. She didn't need one. Not yet. They have this silent agreement of not crossing beyond the safety line. There was too much at risk; too much to lose and so little to gain. Perhaps this was the main reason why they've decided to not delve deeper into the context of it. They already knew what the outcome would be if they were to rendezvous into uncharted territory. They were just going to let the flame die out because there was no other way to or around it. It was a waste but not a loss. Never a loss, for as long as they have each other, it was enough.

"Thanks for the meal Kristoff." Anna patted her abdomen, the apparent bulge making her skirt rise higher than usual. It was a gesture that meant she was thankful for a satisfying meal. The burly man flashed his pearly whites at her while wiggling his thick brows, a glint of mischievousness present in his fallow eyes.

"You're not thinking about skating are you?" he chuckled.

"Wah," Anna gave a scoff before fumbling for the right words to say. "Of course not! I'm...not going to the lake just right outside the village! No! That's an absurd idea! Who would even think about going out in the middle of winter, leave the comfort of their homes for a pathetic excuse as to—"

"You're going." he flatly blurted out.

"Please?" Anna grabbed her own pair of skates that hung from the wall and gave Kristoff a fluttering pair of puppy eyes. She had always been too easy to read—like an open book.

He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Anna," the blond started, his sienna orbs boring seriously unto eager and hopeful aquamarine eyes. "Look, you're not..." he chose his words carefully, hinting that he might actually touch a sensitive nerve if he spoke first before thinking thoroughly. "The lake is dangerous. You might slip and fall, and the worst case scenario, you might—"

"But I'll be careful this time!" she countered, raising her voice in an attempt to convince him. "Besides, it's midwinter so the ice should be thicker."

"You also said that last year, but you ended up being submerged in the water. You could have died!"

Anna rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms on her chest. If there was another perfect description for Kristoff, it would be sloppy, manly and overprotective. The latter was off the charts that's why Anna had always misinterpreted it as his sexist view on women.

"It was my foot, not my entire body."

"There's no assurance that this time it wouldn't be your whole body." he snapped back, temper getting the best of him. Kristoff hated having a meaningless argument with the strawberry blonde especially when he knew he was right.

"It's better than being cooped up in this...place. Please Kristoff, I need this." she begged, hoping that this time, her plea would reach him. The blond had a stern look on his face that she was too familiar with. Anna's gaze dropped to the wooden floorboard before placing her skates on top of the table.

"I'm sorry Anna." Kristoff let out a weary sigh when she averted her eyes from his. "But I can't risk—"

Anna scoffed, her eyebrows knitting in the process. It was a rare sight to find the cheerful and energetic lady with a frown and disappointed look on her face.

"Oh right, you can't risk it." she scathingly cut him off.

Kristoff's chest tightened as he tried to feign a look of indifference. The double entendre was a direct hit to his ego. There were no hints of ambiguity laced into her remark and that was the kind of statement that exploited her feelings, the kind of statement that shattered the barriers they had agreed to build beforehand.

Anna knew it was unfair of her to pull that trick one off and seeing the damage she had done to him, she immediately regretted it.

"I'm going to take a walk." she turned her back on him, shoving her feet inside her winter boots. She needed the cold wind to cool off. Anywhere would be fine so long as it was away from the cramped space of their house. Anywhere away from him in the meantime.

"Wait Anna, I..." she halted and looked over her shoulder.

Mint eyes met a pair of flustered amber eyes. She was sure this time that there was going to be a connection. That they would finally arrive at the same point of understanding. Something to change and turn the awkward atmosphere around.

Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck before letting a tired and shaky breath.

"Bring Sven with you and be careful." he finished lamely.

There was a sad glint in her eyes before she flashed a perfectly rehearsed smile. Anna had mastered this fake expression through practice. It wasn't easy, but it was useful in situations like this one.

"Of course I will." Her heart throbbed painfully when Kristoff returned a fake smile that was the same as hers.

Once she closed the door behind them, Anna shrunk to the ground, eyes fixated on the gloomy skies that dropped the ice pellets which were as cold as their façade.

Who were they kidding?

* * *

She stomped her way through the snowy grounds muttering all to herself. Her companion, Sven, gingerly poked Anna with his antlers as if to comfort the vexed woman.

"Oh, I'm alright Sven." she assured him, stroking his fur with a gloved hand and the reindeer rewarded her with a satisfied sound of appreciation. "It's just that..." Anna kneeled, hugging the reindeer and eventually being enveloped by the warmth that emanated from him.

"Your buddy's just too good to be true you know that?" Sven licked her cheek and she finally laughed. "Come on big guy."

They've reached the far end of the forest near the lake where the view took her breath away. From frost covered branches hung a few frozen vines that dangled like broken necklaces; the sun's rays streamed through the vast sheet of the crystallized lake, giving off a pretty division of the different shades of blue. She marvelled at how beautiful the winter season could be. She had initially thought that there was no beauty in something so cold and dark and sinister, just like the blizzard that took her parents' lives. That thought immediately dissipated for at that moment, all she wanted to do was stare in awe at the scenario right before her very eyes. Anna almost regretted the fact that she failed to bring with her the skates her parents had given her as their last present and memento.

Sven plopped down on the surface of the frozen lake, landing snout first before his entire body fell with a soft thud. The hilarious sight was enough to bring Anna back to the present with a fit of giggles.

"Come on boy, you can do it." she encouraged.

Sven placed all of his strength into his legs, his hooves scratching the rough surface of thick ice when he tried to ascend. He staggered for a way to regain balance but a little slip had him falling once more.

Anna shook her head in amusement as she dragged her feet to the edge of the lake, cheering the reindeer to have another go.

"You're doing it Sven! Good boy! Now—"

A cold and gentle breeze touched her face, drawing her attention off from the reindeer and to the chilly air that came into contact with her sun-kissed face. The air seemed to have started circling around her head, playing with her pigtails and magenta cap. She relished the refreshing feeling it had brought upon and she stilled for a moment sensing that the moment might be gone. It didn't go away. If it was even possible, the surge of mild air played with the braided tendrils of her hair. Anna tried backing down with little steps as if to test if the wind would follow her. She gasped in a mixture of awe and shock when it did. She was about to call out to Sven and ask if the reindeer was also experiencing the phenomenon but something stopped her.

_Come..._

It was either her mind was playing tricks on her or the weather was getting into her system because she can't be hearing a voice in the distance, not when they were the only ones there. The wind circled her head for one final time before it blew away, hitting a couple of branches in the distance. She felt as if the wind was speaking to her, like it was telling her to—

_Follow me..._

Anna knew she was eccentric and impulsive and crazy. She acts first before thinking. It was a part of herself that she loved and hated at the same time, but right now, she was hating herself because she obeyed the voice in her head and left a worried Sven calling out to her in the distance. And she should be regretting her decision by now, but she wasn't. Following the voice and the breeze, and venturing deeper into the forest was not the brightest of ideas. The only thing she was regretting was allowing Sven to go with her. It was nearing nightfall and they have yet to get home. Anna could only picture out an upset and worried Kristoff waiting for them back home. Exactly how much distance had they covered? She was ready to stop, head back and end the pointless and aimless adventure.

_Make haste..._

Two words. It was not even a proper command. She found herself under the influence of the voice, once again drawled in as her feet hurried onward, her body betraying her every command. They both reached a clear area in the forest. There in the middle was a floating piece of what seemed to be an ice shard rotating slowly in midair. The inquisitive young lady approached it without caution and Sven, proving to be the more sensible one, tugged on Anna's magenta cape as though to warn her of the danger ahead.

"This will only take a moment boy." she ignored the pulls and the whines of the scared reindeer as her fingers touched the uneven surface of the shard.

Upon contact, it shattered to a million glittering pieces revealing a snowflake inside.

It was suspended into the air magically just like its sheath and its brilliance was illuminating through the darkness twilight and the web of branches had brought.

Anna's eyes turned to saucers at its intricate structure and delicate framework. She wasn't supposed to clearly see the details for they were so tiny and little but everything about it was vivid and flawless and she was lucid—wasn't she?

Slowly, she raised her arm, allowing her fingertips to hover just in front of the snowflake. She felt the coolness emanating from the small wonders of it and allowed her body to react without second thoughts.

"If I could touch it then..."

For a fleeting moment there was contact and then everything was incomprehensible.

The snowflake's light dimmed and Sven cowered back. The snow halted their fall in the chilly atmosphere like stars in the evening sky. Anna gasped and tumbled backwards when the snowflake burst, blowing everything away within its radius. Gusts of winds pooled violently beneath the snowy ground in a circular motion, rising rapidly in a torrent of strong and highly condensed air. Anna scrambled up to her feet and rode on Sven's back in hopes that they could outrun a force of nature.

It was safe to say that they've managed to reach the lake with Sven stampeding like a bull, but even with that, it wasn't enough to outrun the vicious cyclone of wind and snow.

They were going to get caught no matter what and Anna knew that.

But, if she could jump off of Sven, remove herself as the excess load, then perhaps, her friend could at least save himself.

Sven must've noticed he was going faster for there was no weight dragging him down. He stopped momentarily to give the strawberry blonde a look but only found Anna getting back up on her feet, and running as fast as she could once she regained her balance. The gale was catching up quickly to her. Sven let out a loud noise, bellowing to try and coax Anna to ride on his back once more.

She showed no signs of getting back on him so Sven clicked his hooves on the ground to come and get her but Anna's strained voice sliced through his animal ears like razor-sharp blades.

"Run Sven, Run!"

Sven hesitated before rushing back to the village like a galloping horse.

"Good boy..." Anna braced herself and used the last ounce of strength she could muster to distance herself from the wall of winds.

It was a futile attempt.

Soon she felt her body being lifted and her magenta cap was effortlessly blown away. She held on tightly to her cape in a desperate manner to protect her from the cold and the onslaught of strong winds. Anna whimpered helplessly for air, losing herself in a vortex of blinding light and freezing temperature. Anna felt her body shudder violently before darkness robbed her of her sight.

* * *

Anna guessed that during the moment she opened her eyes, she was dead.

She found herself lying in what seemed like a boat rocking as waves tossed it on one side. She sat up, pain stinging her head at the sudden action.

_Huh, I can still feel?_

She surveyed her surroundings and her heart sank.

This was not Arendelle.

The body of water she was currently in was not the fjord in her village. This was bigger than a sea, it was an ocean; and it extends from a stretch her eyes could take her. The shore was not covered with land or vegetation because Anna knitted her brows from the foggy mist that made up the extensive landscape. There were no rocks, or soil or plant or anything that suggested life. It was an empty space.

"I'm really dead then?"

"Of course you are!"

Anna squeaked at the voice. It was a different voice this time, cheerful and friendly compared to the one that was commanding and impassive.

Anna frowned. What was with her and strange voices inside her head?

She felt a pressure on her shoulder and on reflex she turned around.

Anna blinked and went still as a statue. She ogled at the figure that was standing on the mist.

It was white and orange. A combination of colors she wouldn't imagine. Its body had three parts. An enormous head decorated with three strands of short, thin twigs and an abnormally huge tooth hanging on the upper portion of its mouth with that huge smile on its face. The torso was small and Anna wondered how it supported its gigantic head. Perhaps it was the third part, the base which was big enough to hold the pieces together.

"Hi!" she was taken aback when it spoke. "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

It was a snowman.

"And you are?"

It was a talking snowman.

"I'm Anna," _and why am I responding? That's a snowman! A talking one but it's an inanimate object with no life! It shouldn't be doing that!_

She brusquely rubbed her eyes, hoping it would make the peculiar vision go away.

But it didn't.

_Perhaps I should've rubbed harder._

"Greetings Anna of?"

"Arendelle." she replied blankly as she tried to recall the events that had happened.

The shard, the snowflake, the blizzard, Kristoff, the villagers, the lake.

Anna frowned as pain shoot out from her head. She couldn't quite make out all the details but bringing them up had only caused her headache. She figured she'd recall them later when she's ready. Right now, there was this matter to deal with, starting with where she was.

"Well Anna of Arendelle, welcome to the Realm Above!"

"You mean the heavens?" she asked, confused.

"Not quite. Heaven is on a much larger scale. It's divided into a hundred and forty-eight dimensions."

Anna merely blinked as the creature explained, her mind barely grasping at the onslaught of unwanted information.

"Do all these...dimensions in heaven all have a talking snowman?"

She knew she was inquiring a silly question because that was the least of her worries. She should be rather asking if this Realm Above was the afterlife or if she was just dreaming or now a part of the dead.

The snowman named Olaf chuckled in delight.

"I like you, you're really funny. And no, there's only me." Olaf proudly stated.

"O...kay. Tell me something O-laf." she started, testing the name out cautiously. "Am I dead?"

Anna swallowed loudly in anxiety, preparing herself for the news. The snowman narrowed its eyes as if assessing her and scratched the top of its head with a thin wooden hand.

"You are...but you're not. Oh, now I'm confused too! How's that possible? No one can enter a section in heaven without leaving their physical state behind. But you...oh you must be cleansed at once! We can't have—"

"Wait, what? Slow down!" Anna got out of the boat and planted her feet mindlessly on the mist. In horror and shock, she expected herself to plummet down from the sky and come crashing down but she didn't. Instead, the mystical air held her firmly just like the ground. She turned her attention back to Olaf.

She wanted and needed some answers.

"Olaf, is there someone I could talk to? Like...a person perhaps?"

"Oh, you can talk to Elsa if you want! Follow me!" it started walking in the middle of nowhere and Anna joined the creature eventually, fearing that she might get lost if she didn't stay close by its side.

"Who exactly is this Elsa?" she asked.

"You two are really alike," Olaf cheerfully replied looking at the strawberry blonde who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I don't know in what way, but you both are the same." its face brightened when it continued describing this person it referred to as Elsa. "She's the warmest and kindest goddess ever."

Anna stopped dead in her tracks.

"Wait, what? A g-goddess?"

"Yes, in our world we call her the Snow Queen, or Elsa. In your world, I think you people refer to her as the Goddess of Ice and Snow."

Anna's head throbbed. She knew there was a god and goddess of everything but this was beyond her mental capacity. She just came to a conclusion that this Elsa was the same goddess they're giving homage to during winter season and probably the same goddess who they ask for lesser casualties during the cold.

Anna groaned.

"I hope she has all the answers."

* * *

In a short span of time, they've reached an ice-sculpted bridge situated somewhere above the hills of misty clouds they've ventured through. When the fog cleared, Anna's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

There, situated at the borders of the mountain was an ice palace.

And it was absolutely breathtaking.

Anna had always thought that Kristoff's ice sculptures were beautiful but something big, and real as this...her best friend's work paled in comparison to something that was—for the lack of a better word—magnificent. The pillars were flawless structures of ice decorated with small intricate designs just like the snowflake from the forest. Every block of ice was just so smooth and clear that they appeared like glass. She couldn't wait for the horizon to clear up and stare in awe if the sun's rays filtered through the castle's surface.

That's, if she gets to stay and if there was any sun in the particular dimension she was in. Everything just appeared dark and gloomy that she wondered if it was nighttime. She briefly looked up and could barely see the stars as they were shrouded with the same mist they've walked onto.

"This place is amazing." she sighed in awe upon reaching the huge doors.

"Wait 'til you see the inside!"

Olaf knocked thrice before the doors opened and just as the strawberry blonde set her foot in, she nodded endlessly at the sight before her.

Olaf was right. The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. If anything it's even more beautiful in her opinion.

The inside was vast and immense, bragging a glorious staircase of thin sheets of ice for its treads. In the middle was a huge fountain with frozen fractals suspended like snow powder, glittering and glimmering at display. And the chandelier, oh, she can barely come up with the perfect words to describe that. Thinking that there were far more important things she should be considering than standing there all day and marvelling at the majestic view in front of her, Anna decided to move.

She was ready to take the swell step on the flight of stairs when Olaf's voice halted her action.

"Anna, this is Elsa!"

A regal and slender figure stood gallantly at the end of the stairwell.

And she thought words could barely describe the chandelier.

The woman called Elsa—Anna thought that there were just no words to describe her, except that she looked just a few age older than her.

Elsa was the very definition of grace and poise, from her calm and composed stance was a strikingly beautiful face. Her head was adorned with beautiful platinum blonde locks which were braided loosely and delicately as they rested on her left bare shoulder. Wisps of her fringes were slicked back atop of her head which revealed her pretty face—long dark lashes and the bluest pair of eyes Anna had seen. Elsa was wearing something Anna couldn't ever imagine. It was a long, blue off-the-shoulder dress with light blue sleeves and crystallized bodice. The strawberry blonde added that there was also a translucent long cape brimming with countless shards of crystals and a knee-high slit on her dress when she swayed elegantly toward the handrail of the staricase.

_No wonder she was called a goddess._

"Wow," she lamely spoke, her voice trembling by just the Snow Queen's presence. "It's finally nice to meet you um, h-how would you like me to call you?"

Elsa's face remained stoic as she spoke in a regal manner.

"It is not wise to wish for someone's name without properly introducing oneself first."

Anna gulped. She wasn't called the Snow Queen and Goddess of Ice and Snow for nothing. Elsa was impassive, cool and intimidating; her gaze was enough to make Anna turn to puddle.

"I'm A-Arendelle, I mean Anna of Arendelle. I'm sorry I tend to ramble a lot. I do that when I'm nervous or afraid—but I'm not afraid of you, I mean I am! I mean I should be, because you can turn me into something like Olaf in a mere matter of seconds!" she laughed weakly and inwardly cursed at herself for turning into a babbling mess. Anna sighed as she fiddled with her pigtails, feeling heat rush to her cheeks in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry for being...me." she humbly apologized.

Elsa studied her for a moment before turning her back on her.

"Send her back to the Realm Below. She doesn't belong here."

Anna's heart sank. She wasn't expecting this kind of greeting at all.

"But you two are alike!" Olaf insisted and Elsa glared at the snowman as if the comparison was similar to that of an insult.

"She is nothing like me!" Elsa seethed through gritted teeth and Anna could feel the temperature dropping dangerously low for her liking. She covered herself with the cape which acted as a shield and barrier from both Elsa and the cold.

"But I can feel you inside her!"

The Snow Queen stilled for a second.

Anna sensed death and thinking that the goddess's outburst would be the end of her, she immediately took a hesitant back as she prepared to run for her life.

"You," Elsa called out to her in a distasteful manner that Anna felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

The goddess summoned a current of cold air that had her floating down to where the strawberry blonde was. Anna was frozen in both fear and awe, the sight robbing her of speech and her breath.

Elsa was taller than she was, Anna thought. To have her standing close to her was draining Anna's energy. Elsa emanated a powerful aura of coldness and...was that melancholy and grief Anna sensed?

"I fear you are quite correct Olaf." Elsa stated her eyes hard as they bore to a certain part of the strawberry blonde's hair. It was only then that Anna noticed a stray streak of white among her auburn locks. It was the same color as the queen's.

"See I told you!" Olaf skipped happily down the stairs and joined them shortly.

"What do you—"

"I have not given you the permission to speak." Elsa cut her off sharply.

Anna whimpered.

"Olaf, have her cleansed in the river delta. Bring her to one of my chambers afterwards and see to it that she is well-clothed, well-fed and well-rested."

Elsa turned to Anna with a look of indifference. "It is only then that you will have my permission to stand before my presence. Make haste."

The goddess rose in the air before disappearing into a burst of snow, leaving Anna and Olaf behind.

"What...just happened?" she rhetorically asked, looking at an excited and enthusiastic snowman.

"You're going to be living with us!"

Anna still had loads of questions in her mind—what did being dead and alive both at the same time mean? If she was in the heavens now, why can she get hurt and feel cold? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a Heaven? What did Olaf mean when he said she still has her body with her? Why did she need to be cleansed? Was there something wrong with the way she was dressed? Was she really dead?

She stopped her train of thought as it was giving her a headache. Instead, she followed Olaf once more without thinking and asking anymore.

"Is everything alright Anna?" Olaf asked in concern.

She gave the snowman a weak smile.

"Everything is wonderful."

Truth be told, Anna feared two things. One, everything was not wonderful and two, Elsa wasn't the warmest goddess at all.

* * *

**A/N: I know it's confusing but I promise it'll get better :) Sorry if my descriptive writing is too much. I tend to snowball every detail in one go and I'll get it if you had a headache. I had one too. LOL.**

**First fanfic, and I hoped you enjoyed it! Please do tell me your thoughts, it fuels me to write more. :)**


	2. Found

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter Two  
****Found**

* * *

_Anna..._

_Anna!_

_Thank goodness you're alive!_

_Kristoff...? Is this a dream?_

_What happened to you?_

_I...I don't know. I'm scared Kristoff I—_

_Where are you going? Get back here Anna!_

_Where am I going? I don't know...I need to be...somewhere else! I have to—let go of me Kristoff!_

_No! You have to get home!_

_I said let me go!_

_?!_

_What?_

_Kristoff I'm sorry! I didn't mean to_—_?! Your hand! Your hand's frozen! What_—

_Sorcery!_

_Heresy!_

_Blasphemy!_

_Witchcraft!_

_No, everyone please, I_—

_Monster!_

_Anna come back!_

_ANNA!_

Anna bolted up from bed, panting hard as something cold enveloped the entire room. She remembered everything now. From the encounter at the forest, to the events that took place right after blacking out. The strawberry blonde could barely make out the images that flashed in her mind but she was definitely sure of one thing. The villagers had driven her out of Arendelle, right after Kristoff had brought her home and was then pursued her in an attempt to either drive her away or kill her when she froze Kristoff's hand accidentally, ending up treading on thin ice and plunging to the bottom of the ice-cold lake.

And that was all because of her newly found...ice powers. She wrapped her arms around her folded legs and sobbed. She'd lost count of the days and nights that went by not because it was difficult to determine time in the Realm Above but she couldn't bring herself to care. She had hurt Kristoff and left him and Sven all alone. All her memories came back to her in an instant when Olaf cleansed her in the river delta and the poor snowman had a hard time consoling the young woman to gather her thoughts and get over them as soon as possible because she won't be needing them in the world she was in now.

She knew she had to cut her ties for there was no other way...unless she could convince the Snow Queen to send her back to the Realm Below.

It was either stay or die twice trying.

A knock on her door cut her thoughts abruptly. Anna squeaked before wiping her tears frantically, trying her best to conceal her reddened face and gruff voice.

"Come in." she managed to choke out.

From the huge doors of Elsa's ice palace came a rather small figure.

"Olaf." Anna acknowledged the little creature as it made its way toward her.

"Hey, how are you doing Anna?"

She didn't say anything and barely managed a nod.

"Um, Elsa says she wants to see you."

"She does?" Anna sniffed, compelled at the idea of it. This was a surprise to her as her previous encounter with the Snow Queen proved that the goddess disliked her in every way. Truth be told, the only reason the strawberry blonde could come up with for being hated was being herself and she wondered if that was a rational excuse enough.

"Um," Olaf scratched its nose. "Elsa's really getting impatient to see you."

Well that didn't sound so good.

"Uh, couldn't you just tell her that I'm not uh, ready to see her and that she clearly told me I am not worthy of her presence until I'm well-clothed, well-fed and—"

"—well-rested." A chilly voice together along with a cold atmosphere surrounded the four corners of the room. Snow powder showered inside as the goddess appeared suddenly out of thin air. "I see that you have been properly taken care of, yet you refuse to come before me."

Anna tensed at how sinister the queen had appeared to be. To her, it confused and amazed her how the goddess's presence could have her whimpering in fear and gawking in awe.

"Olaf, take your leave. I wish to discuss matters alone with this...mortal."

The snowman eagerly nodded and happily skipped away, wishing them both a great time before closing the door. Anna gulped and shrunk back to the comfort of the blankets before thinking that she certainly won't be having the time of her life. Anna had determined the time was a few hours past early morning for the sun was nearly half its way on the highest point. The sun's rays were enough to keep her warm and more than enough to give her the view of the strikingly beautiful figure in front of her.

"You have something that belongs to me." Elsa swayed gracefully toward the window sill as if to look beyond past her domain with sorrow in her royal blue eyes.

Anna was about to respond, voice her thoughts out when she remembered the last time she tried to speak, Elsa had scathingly cut her off. She closed her mouth in defeat. She had no choice but to submit to her.

The goddess turned to look at her, a look of indifference ever present in her glinting orbs.

"You wish to speak?"

Anna eagerly nodded, her lips stretching up all the way to her ears.

"Permission to speak granted."

A turbulent wave of thoughts barraged right out of her mouth before she can stop herself.

"Oh, I have a lot of questions I wish you have the answers to! Am I really dead? Am—"

Elsa raised a hand stopping whatever that big mouth of hers has to say.

"I am to do the asking first before I am to entertain your mundane inquiries." Anna could see that the goddess was trying her best to cope up with her enthusiasm, and she knew that it was taking all of the Snow Queen's patience to put up with her.

"First, where have you acquired the lost portion of my powers?"

Anna merely blinked as she recalled through the horrible memories that happened not so long ago. Her face turned sour when she got her answer upon thinking it through.

"It was...I was following the breeze. And a voice. It let me to somewhere in the forest and there was this shard and snowflake and—"

Elsa raised a hand that effectively shut Anna up.

"You see Anna of Arendelle," Elsa had said her name so differently that it made Anna shiver. "I have been searching for it for...hundreds of years. I lost it during a battle with the God of Death."

"Oh, you can have it back! I-I don't mind! I mean it's yours and I've no right or control over this because the last time I got angry, it just...wooshed out of nowhere and I was exiled and...well you get the idea." Anna bit her lower lip to try and hide the embarrassment she'd just set herself into but the queen all but raised an eyebrow at her.

"This 'whooshed' of which you speak of meant utilizing it to what extent exactly, Anna of Arendelle?"

"Just Anna would be fine Your Majesty!" the young lady blurted out before she could manage to stop herself. She was hating the way she rambled every time she was nervous and it was becoming much more of an annoyance than a defensive mechanism.

Elsa frowned at this, brows knitting together as if finding a possible way for good communication.

"I asked you a question and I demand an answer." she ordered and if it was possible for the room to get colder, it did in a matter of seconds.

"Uh," Anna racked her brain up once more as she brought the memory back, trying her best to remember all the details. "I froze Kristoff's hand, and when the villagers tossed their torches at me, the flames died out in an instant. It was like I was controlling the wind and...I really can't explain how it exactly happened in words um, Your Highness."

Elsa placed fingers under her chin, lost deep in thought. When she failed to think of something to say, the eager young lady spoke up once more.

"Um, you can really just take it back. I won't mind. It's much more of a curse than—"

The room froze in an instant and Anna horribly found herself staring at a sinister pair of blue pools. The Snow Queen was glaring at Anna as if the gesture meant killing her.

"We're done." Elsa icily stated, shoving her crystal cape aside before disappearing once more.

Anna's shoulders dropped in disappointment and regret.

There was her only chance of getting her answers and she totally blew whatever right she had to get them.

* * *

Anna decided getting some fresh air might help her muster the courage to apologize. After all, it was her fault for upsetting the queen and to think the goddess was finally reaching out to her. Anna sighed as she paced around the ice palace.

"Hey Anna!" Olaf called out to her cheerfully, chuckling when the strawberry blonde bumped to a pillar of ice. She rubbed her nose before greeting back.

"Well, how did the talk go?"

Anna sighed, reaching for her elbow while tucking a strand of stray hair behind flushed ear.

"Wow, you must be really that bad at conversing to get Elsa mad."

"Wha? I'm not that bad!"

"Elsa's really patient you know? What did you tell her to get her upset?" Olaf asked in concern.

"I—Oh, what's the point...I'm going to try and apologize to her. Hopefully she won't freeze me to death." she shrugged as she began walking once more. Olaf followed her, joining the young lady as she made her way toward the ice palace.

"Who knows? If I'm lucky, maybe she'll answer my questions."

Olaf held onto her olive skirt and offered a smile for assurance.

"Don't worry, if you try to, Elsa will forgive you. She is after all the warmest goddess ever!"

Anna forced a smile.

"Right..." she sighed wearily. She had just about enough of hearing the same things over and over again. Anna needed a break from all this and she had just thought of the perfect idea. "Say, could you give me a tour in the palace?"

Olaf could barely contain its excitement down as it jumped up and down.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh! I'd be glad to!"

The ice palace was something comparable to a treasure chest filled with beautiful surprises. The first section Olaf brought Anna to was the foyer, followed by the extensive halls of the dining area and finally the balcony that gives the most amazing view of the oceans bathed in a heavenly glow of the setting sun, the misty grounds adding the ethereal effect to the Snow Queen's domain. She could stay there for as long as she wanted to but Olaf had directly requested her to return to her chambers.

She was about to head downstairs when she noticed a room that they haven't gone through yet.

"Olaf is this the queen's room?"

"Hm? Oh no, that's not her room. Her room's further back down the next hall. You could say that's a room where um...what is that room for again? Oh," Olaf scratched its head as he tried to remember the purpose of the room.

"Well I've been to Elsa's room but...I've never actually been inside that one."

Anna stared at the door's room. The handles looked the same as the snowflake that had given her a portion of Elsa's powers.

"Go down without me Olaf. I need to check something out." Anna walked slowly to the doors, her eyebrows scrunching up in the process.

"Oh, you wouldn't wanna go inside there or Elsa'll get mad!" Olaf tugged on her skirt to try and stop the girl but Anna was stubborn and persistent. The curiosity running inside her now was driving her to the point of insanity. It was like she was drawn toward it—like there was something inside it that was calling to her.

Her fingers barely touched the surface of the crystal doors when they emitted a light so bright she had to squint her eyes. When she opened them once again, she found herself standing at a dark room alone for a few pillars situated in the middle.

"Anna! Anna! Where did you go? If you're inside you have to get out of there now!" Olaf yelled from outside, pounding on the door in an attempt to get to her. But Anna was already mesmerized by the glowing ice pillars. She slowly approached it and she came in contact with it, a turbulent air pooled below her feet and lifted her into the air.

"Olaf! H-Help!"

The last sound Anna heard was Olaf panicking at the other side as it tried its best to bang the door down.

* * *

Anna was falling. She didn't for how long but it was enough to make her stomach rise up to her throat. She closed her eyes in hopes of landing in one piece. She prayed to whatever god and goddess was out there and wished for the best. The strawberry blonde braced herself for impact and she immediately hit a pine tree that cushioned her fall.

Anna was thankful that the pillow of snow reduced the force of her fall. The branches snapped at her weight and she landed with a thud on the snowy ground.

"Ouch..." she rubbed her temple, apparently shaken from the fall and that was only then that she realized where she was.

"Heavens..." she gasped at the all too familiar landscape and lake.

She was back in Arendelle.

Anna didn't know where to start but she was grateful that she had found that room!

_If it wasn't for Elsa! Oh god, Elsa was keeping something like that from me...that_—

"Anna?" a shaky voice called out from her in the distance.

She spun her head only to face a shocked burly man with a reindeer for a pet and friend. Anna placed both hands on her mouth to control her surprise, her joy.

"Kristoff!" she ran to him, not minding the multiple scratches and cuts from the fall. Anna stumbled right into the waiting arms of the blond who caught her halfway, losing himself in an embrace that he had so terribly missed. Sven joined them shortly, squeezing his way in for a hug.

"Oh I miss you too boy." Anna cooed.

"Oh Anna, I thought you...I assumed...oh thank God you're alive!" he gave her another tight embrace before letting go and Anna winced in pain when she felt a stinging sensation shoot right out of her ankle.

"Whoa, easy feisty pants." Kristoff cradled the girl in his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Oh Kristoff, I'm so sorry. You must have been searching for me for days." she touched his cheek and sadly smiled at him. It had only been a couple of days but there were visible dark half moons present under his eyes, indicating that he was stressed and tired.

Kristoff merely frowned at this.

"Days? You've only been gone a day Anna."

Oh.

Anna then concluded that time in the Realm Above was faster than on the Realm Below.

"We have to get out of here." Kristoff began.

"Wait, what? Leave Arendelle? Why?"

Kristoff gave her a sorrowful look before taking one of her hands.

"Those powers Anna...where did you get them? Or did you have them since you were born? The villagers think you're witch."

"But I'm not a witch!"

Anna cringed at that detail she forgot. The villagers now think she's a monster, but if she could just get back and explain things to them maybe—

The ground shook and the couple, including Sven were caught in a moment of surprise. Birds flew and trees swayed violently as the apparent quake on the ground continued relentlessly. A huge monster made of snow emerged from the trees, its body covered with ice spikes as it headed toward them. It was totally different from the lovable and cuddly Olaf. This one was anything but nice. It was a menace and it wasn't friendly at all.

"What is that?" Kristoff asked in horror as he carried Anna and placed him on Sven.

"Let's go buddy!"

Sven raced and ran away, using all his strength to distance themselves from the snow monster. All their attempts proved to be futile as it caught up to them, one of its hands managing to grab onto Anna.

"No! Anna!"

"Kristoff!"

He jumped off of Sven and tried reaching out to Anna but the giant monster swatted Kristoff away like a fly. His back hit one of the trees and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Kristoff no! Put me down!"

Anna struggled to get out of its grasp but the monster's grip was too strong for her. She was filled with horror when it brought her to its face, thinking that she'd be eaten. To her surprise, it spoke.

"Queen Elsa mad! You going back!"

And just like that, the monster dove right into the lake and once more, Anna succumbed into the darkness.

To say that she returned lifeless on the Realm Above was an understatement. Anna had lost the will to fight and she really didn't utter any sound when the giant snowman threw her inside her chambers. There inside, was the goddess waiting for her, her eyes flaring in anger. Anna couldn't care less if she was punished, so long as she could get to live, because now, she had found out that she was still alive. And there was a chance to go back to Kristoff.

_Oh Kristoff._

Anna started crying.

"That room is forbidden." Elsa growled, ignoring Anna's cries of anguish and high-pitched screams.

"I was home! I was already home! You knew I could get back to Arendelle yet you hid that from me!" she shot back, rising to her feet and discarding the fact that she had hurt her foot. The emotional outburst was fueling her to stand up to someone as high and mighty as a goddess and she loved that. It was about time she proved why Kristoff calls her feisty pants.

"You said I don't belong here!"

"You don't! But you possess a part of me that is why you are forbidden to leave!" Elsa roared back, frost now appearing from every corner of the room. If she thought that was enough to make the strawberry blonde cower in fear and submit to her, she was wrong for it only riled her up even more.

"Then go ahead and take it! I don't even want it anyway! I didn't ask for this! Just...just bring me back home! Please!"

The adrenaline drained out of her body as pain returned to her foot. She fell forward and slumped on the Snow Queen's body. She expected her to shove her away or freeze her to death but she didn't. Instead, Elsa merely broke her fall and they were now sitting on the frozen floor of Anna's room, her cool body doing so little to soothe the grief and pain from Anna.

"If I could, I would have done it. I don't know how to get it back." Elsa explained, her calm and composed nature taking over her. Anna sniffed, her face all flushed as she looked up at the Snow Queen.

"You are going to stay here until my powers return." she coldly stated, and gingerly pushed aside the young girl who wrapped her arms around herself. Elsa stood up, her grace and poise returning in an instant.

"That is absolute."

And then she vanished once more, leaving Anna all by herself.

* * *

**A/N: There's a story behind Elsa's coldness and I promise to get to that eventually. Oh and the giant snowman was Marshmallow (yeah, like you guys didn't know that). Tell me your thoughts on this one :)**

**P.S. Forgive the mistakes. This one's raw and sorry if it's shorter compared to the first chap :P**


	3. Reason

**A/N: Wow you guys are just so amazing! I wasn't expecting that number of reviews and follows and faves. Thankyouthankyou! As a token of my appreciation, here's the next chapter. :)**

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter Three  
Reason  
**

Anna played with her food, flipping the slices of pork on her plate without the intention of eating it. She found it ironic because when she was still living down in Arendelle, she'd work so hard to gather a few pieces of silver and gold in order to buy a decent piece of meat. She'd do anything for a bite, but now, all the delectable food served before her just took her appetite away.

Olaf fumbled at the edge of the strawberry blonde's bed as ordered by the queen. The little snowman was to guard Anna at all costs and always sees to it that Anna would never again make it near the room up and near the balcony.

"Is there something that bothers you Anna? Are you not feeling well?" Anna placed her meal on top of the side table and shook her head, cutting the conversation short and ducking within the covers.

She was trapped. Alone by herself except for Olaf and Elsa. There was no way she could ever leave.

Anna peeked through the covers and saw Olaf's concerned face.

Well at least there's someone who cares for her.

"Anna I really like you, but you shouldn't have done that."

She frowned.

"What else was I supposed to do? Sit here and rot while my...my...while Kristoff could have been hurt? Olaf, I was back in my world! But your _queen_ had the pleasure of making me her prisoner." she scoffed. Anna knew that the only reason Elsa was keeping her was because of her powers. The queen had vaguely explained that she wasn't supposed to leave, but couldn't she just send her back until she could figure a way to retrieve it? Anna would be more than willing to oblige if that were the case, but Elsa couldn't just find a way to compromise, or even communicate with her.

"You're not a prisoner, you're a guest!" Olaf explained as it shuffled beside Anna.

"I know but...couldn't she just ask for help to get her powers back?" Anna suggested.

"From who?"

"I don't know. The other gods and goddesses maybe? Surely if there's a hundred realm in heaven, there should be the same ruling each domain right?"

The snowman slowly nodded as it took Anna's cold hand and sadly gazed into her turquoise eyes.

"I see your point Anna but, Elsa can't."

Anna scrunched her brows in the process. Was the Snow Queen also infamous for her pride? She wondered.

"Well, why not?"

Olaf hesitated for a moment, thinking twice about whether it should reveal something as confidential as the matter at hand. The snowman sighed and nodded, firmly making its decision to tell Anna. At any way, Olaf thought, she has the right to know.

"Did Elsa tell you the reason why she lost the portion of her powers?"

Anna thought long and hard before responding, her posture suddenly stiff for sensing a serious conversation up ahead.

"She told me she lost it during a fight with the God of Death or something like that. Why did they fight?"

"They didn't."

"Wait, what?"

Olaf dropped its gaze to the sheets, eyes turning melancholy as it recalled something that was a memory of the past and something that Anna was oblivious to.

"Just like any other gods and goddesses, Elsa was born from people's wishes. She was born when summer's heat was becoming unbearable and she was entrusted with the power to govern the ice and snow and winds. She was young back then, and during winter season, she'd go down to your world and spread joy." Olaf smiled before continuing.

"There's skating and snowball fights and snowmen, and snow angels and oh, everything was just wonderful." The cheerful look on Olaf face vanished instantly, the joy being replaced by something dark and unpleasant that it made Anna's stomach churn.

"And then he came. Hans."

"Hans?"

"He was just a human like you." Olaf glanced at Anna. "And he was special. He was gifted with eyes that can see far beyond what you all are capable of. Elsa at that time was fascinated by you mortals, so you can imagine how ecstatic she was when she found out about him. Every day they would see each other at the lake, speak fondly with each other and kill time just for fun."

"How do you know all of this?"

"I was the product of their friendship. They built me and Elsa had breathed life into me. I was with them and it was really fun. You can say Elsa and I were spending much more time in the Realm Below than at her domain and I was enjoying Hans' company. But Elsa and Hans, they were much more fixated on one another. I initially thought that both of them were just getting to know each other. You know like how Elsa's a goddess and Hans', a human. So when Hans asked Elsa to bring her to her domain, she willingly agreed."

Olaf sunk deeper into the sheets before hugging its little body.

"I thought it was love for sure. Elsa thought so too. And that was the time when Hans attempted to kill Elsa."

Anna went still, the shock only managing to sink into her mind after a few seconds.

_So this Hans' guy was the reason Elsa's been cold? No wonder she wanted to send me back the minute she saw me..._

"Of course, Elsa didn't know what to do. She lost control of her powers and nearly killed Hans."

"What happened after that?"

Olaf sighed and Anna realized how hard it was for the snowman to talk about Elsa's past. It was something her pain couldn't ever compare to.

"Elsa had sent Hans back to the Realm Below. Elsa was unstable and broken and seeing as her emotions affected her powers, your world suffered during the winter season. The gods and goddesses banished Elsa from ever entering any section in heaven. She's stuck in her own domain."

Anna forced her guilt down, feeling horrible for even thinking of Elsa's pride for never seeking help. It wasn't because she didn't want to, it's because she couldn't.

"People blamed and hated her for the casualties—the blizzard, the avalanche—thus making her weak and eventually when she couldn't sustain her powers due to great depression and fatigue...she..." Olaf merely looked at Anna with eyes glazed with a coat of tears.

"She threw a portion of it away and I found it." Anna's heart sank.

"You found it after hundreds of years."

"No, it found me. Couldn't she just take it back?"

Olaf shook its head.

"If Elsa knew how, she would've taken it back. And the reason why Elsa's keeping you is because she's trying to protect you."

Anna gulped. All this time, she had just misunderstood Elsa. It wasn't fully the queen's intention to lock her up in her palace, and she knew that now. The main reason why she can't go home is because people will drive her away or worse, kill her if they knew.

_But Kristoff...and Sven...they're my family and_—

"Do you and Elsa still hate us?"

"It happened hundreds of years ago and I've seen how you people managed to change and care for one another. I believe you all deserve a second chance and I really like you Anna. I know Elsa might appear cold and harsh to you but deep inside, she still feels for your kind. She is a goddess and no matter how many times you people try to strike her down, she won't complain nor fight back because after all, she is indebted to you for wishing her into this world."

Olaf seemed kind of sad when it stated the last part. The snowman seemed like it was hurt for Elsa's sake and Anna understood why.

All this time Anna thought gods and goddesses were mighty and powerful when in fact, they were all under people's mercy.

"So did this change your perspective about Elsa a little bit?"

Anna slowly nodded. It changed the way she looked at Elsa by a lot and going home now will have to wait. Right now, if she wished to get back to Arendelle, she has to help Elsa find a way to get her powers back, and this time she was willing to cooperate.

"Olaf do you think I could talk to the queen right now?"

"Elsa always retires after dinner, so I doubt she's awake now."

"That's early. How about tomorrow?"

Olaf shook its head.

"The best time to catch her would probably be at dawn."

"Good. Will she be at her room by then?"

"Nope. Elsa's always by the balcony watching sunrise."

Anna nodded.

"It's settled then."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to try and talk to her once more."

* * *

Anna and Olaf had been waiting for hours. They had agreed that they'd get to the balcony before Elsa does so that they could also watch the sun rise, but she was still nowhere to be found and the sun was already up on the horizon.

"Do you think she's in her room?" Anna yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"But Elsa never misses the sunrise." Olaf frowned in concern.

"Should we go and check on her?"

The snowman was ready to respond when a sudden blast exploded from the balcony. Both Anna and Olaf reflexively raised their hands up for protection and as much as they had expected snow powder to hit their skin softly, it was a shower of boiling hot water that poured over them. Olaf shrieked as a portion of its face and belly eventually melted upon contact. Anna then tried digging in deep within her as though to repeat what had happened during the night she froze Kristoff's hand. She concentrated and imagined her hands as cold as ice. The moment she opened her eyes, her hands were solid blocks of frozen liquid. It was a surprise to her because even though her body felt cold, her hands weren't. She worked quickly, and kept Olaf's temperature low.

"Elsa!" the snowman pushed the confused Anna aside as it ran toward a figure slumped against the ice floors.

Anna gasped in shock when she saw Elsa almost naked. But it wasn't how the Snow Queen was clothed skimpily, it was because her beautiful ice gown was completely melting against her scorched skin.

Elsa used all her might to shove Olaf away, preventing the snowman from melting any further for the goddess knew any contact would burn anyone who tries to touch her.

Anna managed to drive Olaf away from Elsa as she instructed the snowman to calm down.

"It'll be okay." she showed Olaf her still frozen hands as it finally nodded in agreement, trusting Anna who made her way toward the queen.

If Anna were to describe the goddess it would be with three words: red and glowing.

Without thinking, Anna gingerly touched the queen's shoulder and almost immediately, it produced steam when her cool fingers met her heated skin.

Anna panicked.

"I-Ice..." the goddess gasped, words nearly incomprehensible when she spoke.

"But it'll make it even worse." Anna argued.

"J-Just do it!" the queen snapped back at her.

"O-Olaf, gather as much snow as you can. Hurry!"

Olaf hurried downstairs without questioning the strawberry blonde's orders.

"God, Your Majesty, these are serious burns! What happened to you?" Anna forcibly tried creating snow out of thin air and only managed producing a handful. Without wasting any time, she gently rubbed snow on the goddess's sweltered skin. It was amazing how her skin wasn't damaged at all. The Snow Queen cried in pain, her body convulsing at the sudden intrusion of cold.

Olaf rushed back with its base larger than usual. The snowman shook it off and the excess fell beside Anna. The young lady worked efficiently and quickly, covering the queen's body with as much snow as needed. But it wasn't enough. The goddess was still burning up and there was only so little of the snow left.

"I-I'll go get some more!" Olaf hurried once more outside to gather snow but Anna knew it was going to be too late by then. Without thinking of what might potentially happen to her, she brought herself to focus on making her whole body freeze. Winds responded to her call as it pooled beneath them, the frost starting to crawl on her body. Anna took her clothes off, and instinctively wrapped her body around the goddess's.

"G-Get off! You will damage yourself!" Elsa commanded but Anna had already made up her mind. After all, desperate times call for desperate measure. The strawberry blonde winced in pain as heat scorched her body, steam rapidly rising and enveloping the balcony. Beneath them, the thick floor that Elsa had constructed was already melting.

"Anna of Arendelle!" Elsa tried shoving her off but Anna didn't budge. She stayed like that even when Olaf returned, even when the goddess continued to thrash around and even when she felt her figure melting. Anna remained locked up on her frame until the queen cooled down.

She was barely conscious when she felt a pair of delicate but strong arms carrying her.

* * *

Anna woke up feeling sore all over.

_What_—

Memories of the queen, red and hot all over flashed in her mind and her first action was to bolt out of bed and find her. The latter, she didn't manage to when a hand pushed her gently back in bed.

"Stay put." commanded a stern voice.

"Y-Your Majesty?"

Although Anna's vision was foggy she could see that the queen was back to normal. Her snow white skin was ever present, and her dress was back on to her dismay.

"You're fine. How—"

The goddess clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Rest. You will be needing it. Save the questions for later. I promise you answers when you are well."

The goddess then continued what she was currently doing, her hand releasing some sort of icy wind that made Anna mewl as it soothed her skin.

"Your Majesty," Anna meekly stated, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden.

"You did what you had to do." the goddess flatly stated, her hand now hovering on the young girl's chest as chilly air met Anna's bare skin.

"But Anna," her piercing blue eyes met Anna's and the strawberry blonde had to avert her gaze to avoid fear to settle in.

"What you did was unintelligible and irrelevant. I could have healed myself yet you had risked your safety for mine. With the way you reacted, were you deliberately insulting me?"

"Of course not! I just thought that it might be too late if...if I hadn't made a move."

Elsa studied her for any hint that would betray the solemn look on Anna's face, anything to reveal a hidden agenda or fake expression of concern and care but the goddess found none.

The Snow Queen sighed.

"If I had died right then, I will not cease to exist so long as there is a believer." she continued working her healing magic through Anna's body and suddenly halted at the strawberry blonde's response.

"Even if you're immortal, that doesn't mean I couldn't care."

Elsa got up and turned her back on her.

"Rest easy."

Anna expected the goddess to vanish right before her eyes but she never did. All the queen did was sit at the far end of the room as she elegantly grabbed a book in the shelf and patiently waited for the strawberry blonde to fall into the mercy of sleep.

Anna didn't, and the queen closed the reading material with a soft push of her fingers.

"You need to rest."

"I can't. Won't. Not until you tell me everything."

Elsa's heels clicked on the ice floor as she approached the bedridden lady, her expression unreadable.

"Why were you severely injured? Who did that to you? What are you not telling me?"

The goddess remained silent. Anna was growing tired of the queen's ambiguity and mind-boggling tirade. There was no way she was going to keep guessing because she has a right to know the truth. And if she as so much can't demand it, she'll just have to force Elsa to tell her then. Anna lowered her head as she played with her pigtails.

"I know the thing about Hans." she softly stated, her eyes humbly catching the subtlety of the queen's posture stiffening and tensing.

"Your Majesty if you would just—"

"No." Elsa icily replied.

"Listen to me!" Anna yelled out desperately, catching the queen's attention fully.

"Please, I am willing to set aside my intentions of going home so I can help you get your powers back, so please Your Majesty..."

"You are going to do just that, but my answer is no. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Elsa used the door to leave this time, shutting the door with a force to make the room shake. Anna sighed as she sank back to bed. She wondered if the queen was still too weak to use her powers to vanish or if she was indirectly pointing out that she's closing the doors on her.

It was going to take a little while to gain her trust.

Elsa might love her kind, but she was still far from trusting them once more.

* * *

**A/N: Anyone of you lovelies can guess what happened to Elsa? Hmm? Winner gets a cookie :3**


	4. Intention

**A/N: Thank you all for the support! Here's the next chapter. Sorry it's shorter this time but meh. :)**

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter Four  
Intention  
**

Anna carefully removed the last remaining sterile bandage wrapped on her arm, the skin showing faint reminders of the burns she got from the Snow Queen. Days passed and it still remained a mystery on how the goddess seemed to have been badly hurt when, as far as the strawberry blonde was concerned, Elsa was powerful when commanding ice and snow. Even though Anna was supposed to worry less for the queen also displayed an impressive healing technique with her powers, there was still a slight tinge of ache that would surface Anna's chest when she would recall the goddess's face crumpling in pain.

Elsa had thoroughly made herself clear that she did not require her assistance but was that all the strawberry blonde could do? Sit and wait?

_No, not when_—

"Hey Anna!" Olaf emerged from the icy doors of the palace, a happy but somewhat worried look plastered on its face.

"Olaf," the strawberry blonde greeted with much equal fervor.

The little snowman scurried along the frozen floors and bumped the side table in its haste. Anna giggled weakly before helping Olaf to its feet.

"How are you?" Olaf sincerely asked while fixing its nose in place. When he finally got the right position, it gazed into Anna's turquoise eyes for any signs of pain.

Anna grasped its tiny hands, relishing the coldness that enveloped its wooden hands. In a short amount of time, Olaf had proven to be a great companion, and if she were even allowed to consider it, a greater friend. Even if Olaf was serving as a guardian, Olaf had never treated her as someone who was meant to be guarded or someone whose every move must be observed. In the same way, the little snowman had enjoyed most of its time with the strawberry blonde, intrigued and appalled at her foreign mannerisms and peculiar habits.

"Oh I'm fine Olaf." Anna responded sweetly, lifting the snowman up in the air. Olaf chuckled in delight when it was spun in the air, laughing heartily as it grabbed onto Anna's neck for support.

"I see you're doing well! Phew! That was intense."

They both settled on top of the bed, waiting for their laughter to die out. Olaf cleared its throat before wiping a tear from one of its eyes.

"You've news for me?" Anna asked.

"Yes!" Olaf excitedly blurted out. "Elsa wants you to join her for dinner!"

"Wait, what?" Now that was a surprise. Anna had always thought the goddess would do any means to avoid her but the queen always surprised her by either confronting her out of the blue or something as uncalled for as an invitation to dinner.

"M'hmm. You know this doesn't normally happen. It's usually just the two of us and Marshmallow you know?" Olaf giggled.

"Marshmallow?"

"Oh that's right! You haven't been properly introduced! Don't worry, I'll introduce Marshmallow to you at dinnertime." Olaf jumped out of bed and eventually left.

Anna smiled as she decided to peruse her closet. She had to be dressed for such occasion.

After all, it's not everyday that a goddess invites an ordinary human to dinner.

* * *

Olaf escorted the strawberry blonde who wore a light green dress and a black bodice with off-the-shoulder green sleeves, her tumbleweed of a hair—as she had always described—was tied up in a neat bun with a ribbon that sported the same color as her dress.

"Wow, Anna you really look good in green." Olaf complimented as they headed to the dining hall.

"Thank you." Anna blushed.

There was nothing special in the way food was prepared on the long table, and there was nothing stupendous with how the dining hall looked but to Anna who was appreciative in every little way squealed in delight—excitement ever present in her sun-kissed face as she nearly skipped her way to find a seat. A light tremor stopped her little escapade and she looked back, only to have her eyes almost popping out of their sockets and her mouth hanging open.

She shrieked and ran forward, her figure bumping to something soft and cold.

"Your Majesty!" Anna jumped in place, rubbing her nose and distancing herself immediately from the goddess who looked stunning and regal as always. Elsa straightened up, clearing her throat and gesturing for Anna to take her seat.

"B-But Your Highness there's—that!" Anna frantically pointed to the huge snow monster who took its seat at the corner of the room with a plate in its hand, devouring the food almost immediately after sitting.

Elsa took a seat and gingerly grabbed her goblet to drink wine.

Olaf sat opposite Anna as it began to pick its food, ignoring the strawberry blonde's outburst and high-pitched wails. The huge monster returned to fill its plate once more and Anna cowered back in fear.

"Anna, this is Marshmallow."

"That's Marshmallow?!" Anna shrieked in disbelief. "I thought Marshmallow was a little, fluffy, adorable and tiny pet!"

The giant snowman groaned, rolling its eyes as it grabbed pile after pile of food.

Anna hysterically laughed.

"I mean, who in their right mind would name—"

Olaf cleared its throat, its eyes meeting Anna's and then darting quickly to the queen who was calmly sipping the red liquid.

"Oh." Anna sheepishly shrunk back as her turquoise eyes rested on the food prepared on the table.

This was the first time Anna had seen more than just one dish on the table. Breads, cheeses, fruits of all different kinds on a cornucopia, and a delightful bowl of viscous sweet liquid that Anna had never tasted before.

"Eat." Elsa offered.

Anna meekly nodded, grabbing a couple loaves of soft bread, cheese and grapes.

The burst of flavors exploded from her mouth and Anna had never felt so alive. Back on Arendelle it was all but a monotonous and boring assault of stale flavor, not that she was complaining, Anna just couldn't help but compare.

"Have you fully recovered?"

Anna quizzically turned to the goddess with a stuffed face, cheeks appearing full with all the food in her mouth. She choked at the sudden question and had to scramble up for a drink. Anna grabbed her own goblet and drank from it, the liquid doing its job of ridding her throat of the chewed lump of food.

"Um, I'm good."

Elsa heaved off a tired sigh, nibbling on a piece of bread before turning royal blue eyes to her.

"I am being direct in my approach. Answer me in the same way."

Anna gulped as she scratched her head.

_God, does she know it's her fault why I'm so nervous right now?_

"Uh, yes Your Highness, I am...I mean I have fully recovered."

"Good."

Anna's heart leapt.

"Do that again." she squeaked, drawing forward as she slammed her hands on the table. Olaf raised blinked in confusion, watching as the strawberry blonde intruded the personal space of the goddess. Elsa frowned and softly pushed Anna away with her fingers.

"I'm sorry, I'm confused." Elsa raised an eyebrow, her face robbing her of the previous expression plastered on her face.

"Smile again. Um, Your Highness." Anna might be sounding odd but it didn't matter to her, because the way the goddess's lips stretched upwards was a sight that took her breath away.

"You should not be asking for such preposterous requests." Elsa stared at her before turning to Olaf who just nodded in understanding.

"Hey Marshmallow, let's get going now shall we?"

Anna was confused at the sudden turn of events. Was there something with her request that made the goddess upset—once again—to order Olaf and Marshmallow to leave?

"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly, finding the proper words to succeed her statement. "I meant no offense Your Majesty."

"Anna," The strawberry blonde flinched. There was something that bothered her—in the best way—every time the goddess would pronounce her name. "I haven't properly expressed my gratitude for...for aiding me postpone my demise." Elsa sighed, scrunching her brows to control her emotions. As a goddess known for her cold personality, she had promised herself to not show any kind of attitude that was the opposite of that.

_Postpone? Doesn't she mean prevent?_ Anna thought, confused.

"You have disobeyed my order by gallivanting to the balcony, but I forgive you."

Elsa met Anna's gaze.

"I am indebted to you." she flatly stated.

"Oh, you don't owe me anything Your Highness! If it's a matter of owing someone, that should be me—"

"Anna," Elsa cut her shortly. "I have promised you answers. Ask away."

It wasn't because Elsa was upset that she sent Olaf and Marshmallow away, it was just a gesture that asked for privacy.

"Oh, um." Anna scratched the back of her neck. She didn't really think the queen would keep her word so she wasn't really prepared. Summoning all her courage up, Anna asked the first thing that concerned her.

"I want to know Kristoff's condition. The last time I saw him, I wasn't able to ask about his hand that I froze. Marshmallow sort of...cut our reunion short."

Elsa nodded.

"Consider it done. I will send Olaf to scout his present condition in Arendelle."

Anna thanked the queen; now she can rest easy and clear her thoughts of worries with matters dealing with Kristoff and Sven. There was a pregnant pause before she asked once more.

A vague but concerned question this time.

"Who did that to you Your Majesty?"

Elsa's posture stiffened but she answered nevertheless. Just as she had promised.

"The question is not who. It is what."

Anna waited.

"The sun." she answered simply.

Anna blinked.

"I'm not sure I'm following Your Highness."

Elsa inhaled and released the air on her lungs.

"It was I that made the sun rise that day."

"What?" Anna gasped in horror. She knew Elsa was a powerful goddess, but to face off with a force of nature that was destructive—fire against ice—no wonder she was barely hanging on!

"That's absurd! There was no way—"

"I heal in no time and you are not in the position to lecture me. Watch your mouth." Elsa snapped back.

"Everyday..." Anna choked out, her hands clenching in the process. "Everyday, right after what had happened to you, I'd go up and see you struggle to get up with your dress torn and your skin burning. Everyday...and I would force myself to stop rushing to help you because of your pride and I respected that!"

"You were spying on me?" Elsa hissed, anger getting the best of her.

"Merely observing Your Highness. I have not told Olaf about that, but I should have known better."

Elsa got up, ready to leave and end the conversation but Anna grabbed her wrist before the goddess could flee. Elsa withdrew her hand roughly, her eyes showing disgust for the strawberry blonde.

"You promised me answers!"

"I have already answered your question. What else do you need to know? Perhaps you would like a detailed reiteration of my encounter with Hans?"

"I didn't mean to pry! I never asked about your past! All I want to ask is why are you doing this to yourself?" Anna wailed, fighting the tears that threatened to fall from her turquoise eyes.

"This isn't your fight Anna." Elsa warned, her voice dripping with an intensity of coldness the strawberry blonde didn't expect.

"You made it mine when your powers transferred to me!" she countered.

Elsa frowned.

"We're done."

"No we're not. Please Your Highness, what will it take for me to get through to you? That we're in this together?"

"Nothing. Now, do you still have questions? I must retire for the evening."

Anna gaped at her and slowly shook her head in defeat.

"Good night Your Highness..."

* * *

Elsa was fuming; she was mad.

_How dare she?!_

The goddess found the strawberry blonde to be an intriguing and annoying presence that got in the way of everything she did. That goofy smile and light chuckles whenever she was near her, those freckles that dusted her face whenever daylight came, her complicated and complex ideas and feelings mixed up with her straightforward attitude was just too much for the queen.

Anna was overwhelming her.

Elsa hadn't really slept well that evening, and that was one crucial point she had failed to fulfill. With fatigue and stress circulating her system, she had a difficult time making the sun rise. It took her longer this time, hours piling up as the heat continued to brutally assault her defenseless state. The burning sensation was so intense that she was thankful her pain receptors were shut off, allowing her to indulge on the numb feeling that settled in. She knew the pain would come back later when she's finally at her domain, and she feared it would hit her tenfold.

After gruesome hours, Elsa managed to fulfill her task, immediately using her reserved strength to teleport back to her domain. Splashes of boiling hot water indicated her fall and return.

She was in a worse condition this time, her skin blistered and damaged, and her dress completely turned to steam. Her vision was getting foggy and her breaths were coming out in short and quick pants.

If she couldn't find something colder than the floor beneath her, surely this time—

Elsa felt a pleasant feeling enveloping her body. It was the temperature she was looking for. When she was able to move and speak, strands of amber locks spilled and tickled her neck. She knew this familiar coldness and as much as she hated to admit it, she was loving the feeling.

"I won't ask you anymore why you're doing this. Just...just let me do this much at least."

Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna's solid ice figure before letting out a shaky breath.

"Anna you stubborn, stubborn girl."


	5. Clemency

**A/N: Sorry this came out later than expected! :D We just celebrated my little brother's birthday! : Thank you all for the support! Short chapter sorry!**

**P.S. To brunhe, Kristoff's hand was frozen by Anna at chapter two when her memories came back from her from the trauma and with regards to chapter four, about the 'spy thing' I thought I could deliver that days had passed without actually mentioning it but I failed LOL so I kind of edited that part for the readers not to be confused. Thank you! **

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter Five  
Clemency**

Waking up with barely a memory was becoming a habit that the strawberry blonde was growing tired of. Anna had been growing used to the beautiful snowflake encrusted on the ceiling that wasn't on her assigned chamber whenever she would wake up. The room she was frequently situated in was larger than her own, with multiple ice shelves at the far end, apart from that there were no more furniture found inside. It was as if the bed and the books were the only thing that mattered to its occupant and other things were unnecessary.

Anna whimpered when a chilly air stung the upper portion of her body, both pain and relief surging immediately. The strawberry blonde tried propping an elbow to sit up but a wave of nausea hit her instantly, sending her back on the bed. She heard a click of tongue in annoyance and Anna blushed as she found herself naked under the sheets of the bed.

"You are awake?" asked a patient and familiar voice.

Anna pulled the sheets up to her head, nodding sheepishly at her current condition.

Cool fingers stripped the sheets aside and Anna squeaked in embarrassment, the pale expanse of her chest and taut stomach exposed to the cold gaze of the goddess. The young girl could barely tolerate the pain and heat from cooling off the goddess every dawn but the recovery was becoming unbearable. The healing process wasn't hurting her at all, if anything, it was soothing and relieving. It was being naked that she could hardly bear. Back in Arendelle the only people who were able to see her nude were her parents, and she was far off from an adolescent that time. Kristoff only viewed the upper portion of her legs—during summer when the heat was above normal temperature—and that was as far as he had gone. So all Anna could do was blush furiously, the scarlet color tinting her face and neck gloriously.

The Snow Goddess glided her nimble fingers below the swell of Anna's chest, resting just above the trembling girl's flat stomach. The evident burns on her skin were reduced to nothing but tiny blotches that eventually disappeared as if the damage wasn't even done in the first place.

"I feel better now, thank you Your Highness..." Anna searched for the covers, her eyes darting out to find the white linen sheets to conceal something she wasn't proud of displaying casually.

Elsa helped her, draping the thin sheets on her figure before sighing tiredly.

"You are testing my patience Anna." the goddess lowly started, her brows knitting in the process.

Sensing that the sudden shift in the atmosphere was leading to a conversation Anna had chosen to avoid, she frowned.

"Well what do you expect me to do? Watch you as you writhe in pain, Your Majesty?"

Every single time the sensitive topic was about to be brought up, the strawberry blonde would find an insurmountable amount of courage she didn't know she possessed, deep within her to face a goddess.

"This is becoming tiresome." Elsa said in annoyance. "The point I am making here is that I am more than enough and capable of taking care of myself."

"You're being impossible."

"And you are being stubborn." Elsa snapped back. "Are you going to continue this meaningless and destructive tirade?"

"Totally." Anna sing-sang.

Elsa glared at Anna at the rude reply but her deadly gaze never fazed the strawberry blonde who was now sitting up straight to take the queen head on.

"Perhaps it is not unknown to your knowledge that you are burdening me every time you would rush recklessly to my aid." Elsa sourly stated, but the strawberry blonde just shrugged.

"Your Majesty, watching you grunt and frown and lecture me while healing me, that I can take. Watching you as you break on the floor, that I can't take. It was choosing which was the lesser of two evils."

Elsa just shook her head and decided to drop the topic, realizing that there was no way winning this one off.

"Olaf has returned. He has news on this mortal you call Kristoff."

Anna's eyes widened in anticipation and her heart beat faster at the mention of her friend's name.

"H-How is he? His hand? And Sven? How—"

Elsa raised a hand, her elegant face crumpling at the assault of questions Anna raised in an instant.

"First of all, he is well. But," Elsa's gaze met Anna's in an almost pitiful kind of way. "He does not reside in Arendelle anymore."

"What?" Anna choked out, fingers curling on the sheets. "It's my fault. It's because of me that he's driven—"

"He chose to leave, that is according to Olaf. You could say that he had...perceived what would have happened. As for his hand, he is giving it the attention needed."

Anna raised a brow.

"It is merely a superficial frostbite."

Anna's heart sank, but she chose to remain positive. If Kristoff were here, he'd joke about this and say that it wasn't her fault even if it clearly was. Right now, her friend was moving forward, the least she could do was move forward without looking back as well.

She nodded slowly.

"You are taking this remarkably well." Elsa commented, her voice slightly betraying her as a hint of praise was laced into that statement she had just delivered.

Anna's eyes lit up.

"Why, Your Majesty, was that a compliment?"

Elsa shot the strawberry blonde a glare.

"Since you can make such impertinent comments with that mouth of yours, perhaps you can talk your way out of the room—literally."

Anna faked a hurt look on her face and pouted at the goddess whose face was suggesting that she was having so much trouble comprehending Anna's bipolar behavior.

Elsa shook her head before pointing to the crystal doors of her chamber.

"Out."

* * *

Anna was bored, her sleepy eyes gazing into the vast expanse of the ocean. Olaf who had nothing to do as well joined the strawberry blonde who sat at the misty grounds.

"I like to watch the waves all day long too." Olaf chuckled as it took a seat beside Anna who recognized its presence by smiling.

"Does Elsa ever come out of her palace?"

Olaf shook its head and Anna just sighed.

"So all she does is sit cooped up in her room and read books until she drops?" Anna asked almost shocked at the thought of it.

"Well, Elsa likes skating! But ever since the incident with Hans, she sort of shut the world out."

But that was hundreds of years ago right? Anna thought and her chest clenched. The strawberry blonde was lost deep in thought again, mind wandering on how she could help the goddess yet again. She smirked at herself at the irony of how helpless a powerful being was in the face of a situation that was a common adversary to mortals.

Anna got up and summoned a will from within her. Ice shoot out of her hands as she froze a part of the ocean, the waves stilling immediately as frost covered a portion of it. She placed her foot carefully on the magic that she had created and the ice beneath broke upon contact.

"You're going to have to summon more power to create a thick layer of ice." Olaf said.

"You think the queen would take the bait?" Anna slyly asked, eyebrows wiggling in amusement.

"It's worth a shot! Go!" Olaf grinned.

Anna raced back to the palace, her heart leaping in joy. The strawberry blonde hummed a cheerful tone, stopping at the chamber of the queen. Anna knocked at the doors thrice before a command to enter voiced out. The young lady pushed the doors only to find the goddess seated gracefully on the edge of the bed.

Anna stopped momentarily before her eyes travelled to the queen's focused face down to the reading material on her hand and all the way to the length of exposed leg that showed from the knee-high slit of her crystal dress.

"Anna." Elsa's voice brought her back to reality and Anna scratched the back of her neck, nervousness setting in.

"Hi, Your Majesty."

"Have your wounds been aching once again?" Elsa inquired, her eyes never leaving the book she was too engrossed with.

"Um, no. This is a different matter Your Highness."

Anna ventured across the room and peeked through the pages as she took a bold move of sitting beside the goddess of ice and snow. Elsa remained glued to the captivating words of the book and she never casted Anna a glance.

"Uh...Queen—"

"State your concern." Elsa flatly stated.

It dawned to the strawberry blonde that she had never gotten the chance to call the goddess by her first name even when she intended all respect by preceding her name by the title of 'queen'. But when she tried for once this time, she was just cut off, hinting that the queen didn't like Anna calling her by her name. Anna took this as one of the forbidden boundaries she was never meant to cross and she respected that.

"It's uh," Anna squirmed before babbling out her request in a rushed manner.

"Pleasegooutandfreezetheoceansowecouldskate!"

Elsa flipped to the next page calmly.

"No."

"Oh thank you Your Majesty! You don't know how much this—wait, what?"

The goddess's eyes horizontally moved across the pages, not minding the worked up strawberry blonde who was squeaking beside her.

"No means no Anna. If you want to skate, you have my permission to freeze the ocean." Elsa said deadpanned.

"But even with your powers, I can't do that much! That's why I'm asking for your assistance. You don't know how bored I am Your Majesty." Anna bit her lower lip and fiddled with her braided hair, readying herself with either rejection or acceptance.

Elsa closed her book and Anna's hope elevated immediately. The goddess left the book on the bed and headed toward the ice shelves leaving the strawberry blonde wondering in confusion. Elsa picked a couple of books and returned with a handful; she placed them on Anna's lap and resumed reading from where she left off.

"Um...I'm not sure I get your logic Your Majesty."

"You said you were 'bored'. I am merely offering you the opportunity to pass time."

Elsa's lazy gaze drifted shortly to Anna before the queen's lips stretched up in a most pleasant manner. Anna gulped and she immediately started skimming the pages of the book, hoping she'd see more than a smile this time. If she could somehow elicit something more than a smile from her, she wouldn't mind joining the queen's routine everyday.

Anna buried her nose on the open book as she stole a fleeting glance at the goddess, the smile still present on her lovely face.

Anna whimpered and brushed off the feeling that there was something that she was supposed to do.

* * *

"Wow, Anna sure is relentless. I wonder how long it's going to take before she comes back."

Olaf scratched its head as the sun set at the horizon.


	6. Stuck

**A/N: You guys are simply amazing! :) Here's the next chapter!**

**Great Divide**

Anna finds herself crossing broken borders and burnt bridges, recklessly making her own decisions until a certain goddess decides for her otherwise. "You don't have a choice."

**Chapter Six  
Stuck  
**

Anna slowly made her way to the queen's room, a bit of hesitation tingling down her spine as she approached the ever cold chamber. She took in a huge gulp of air before her knuckles made contact with the cool and flawless surface of one side of the doors. This time, instead of a command to enter, the goddess herself answered by opening the door. Elsa stood there with a candle holder in hand, the small spark of fire on the candle illuminating the dark halls and her room. The moon had provided enough light to guide Anna's way toward the queen's chamber, and the candlelight had helped her view the goddess who was clad in a decent cloth of silky garment. Anna hinted that the powder blue nightgown was made of ice, yet she had always wondered in awe how Elsa could make something appear so real even if it was made from a rigid piece of frozen liquid.

Elsa's vision didn't need to adjust to the dim lighting because she had grown used to this kind of darkness.

"Anna? For you to be bothering me in the dead of the night, surely this must be something that is of importance correct?" the goddess tiredly rubbed her eyes and waited for the fidgeting lady to speak up.

"Well," the strawberry blonde began with a high-pitched tone, clearing her throat immediately to rid of the pit that was starting to develop in her stomach. "The night is still young, Your Majesty. B-But of course Olaf mentioned you retire early and there's also the issue of the sunrise tomorrow so—" Anna placed a hand on her mouth when she noticed Elsa's irritated and impatient gaze on her.

"If you wish for someone to listen to your endless nonsense, that will not be certainly me. No if you've no more to say, I suggest you retire for the night as well."

Elsa was about to close the door but Anna had blocked it with her foot, stopping the icy door from totally slamming her out. Anna then invited herself in by sliding fluidly just like the motion when she was skating. Taken aback by Anna's action, Elsa distanced herself from the intruding young lady.

"You have but a second to explain yourself." Elsa seethed, one hand raising in the air as a fair warning. Anna immediately ran toward the ice shelves, frantically searching for something that Elsa couldn't quite comprehend. Anna squealed in delight when she found the thing she was looking for.

"A book?" Elsa asked, flabbergasted.

Anna nodded enthusiastically, hugging the thick reading material on her hands.

"Chaucer. Um, I'm a huge fan of," she cleared her throat. "Chaucer."

Elsa raised a brow at this, her figure approaching the stiffening presence of the strawberry blonde.

"And you couldn't have waited until it was morning?"

There was something wrong with the way Anna was acting, Elsa thought. The rigid stance she has, the eyes averting the goddess's gaze, her shaky hands, everything about her was off.

"Uh, I couldn't wait 'til morning for this! I'm planning to finish this tonight!" Anna lamely replied.

"The Canterbury Tales is a huge collection of stories." Elsa eyed her suspiciously. "You cannot finish that in one night."

Anna sidestepped to the corner and moved against the wall to prevent the Snow Goddess from coming even closer.

"Well that's what I'm p-planning to! Um, I'm going now, so...have a good night Your Majesty!" Anna slammed the door, and Elsa was left all alone once more inside.

She rubbed her temple and shook her head. Blowing the candlelight out, she returned to bed in hopes that she would get a good sleep.

* * *

Anna raced back to her room and locked the doors. If there was a slightest chance—a huge chance actually—that the goddess would follow her, she was at least taking precautionary measures. Then again, the queen could just do magic and teleport inside her room, rendering her effort on the lock useless.

Anna fell on the bed, the huge book straining her arms as it dropped to the soft mattress.

"Ooh! Is this why you called me? Are you going to be telling bedtime stories Anna?" Olaf excitedly skimmed through the pages of the book.

"Hardly, um Olaf." she called out.

"Yeah, why?"

"The queen already told me about Kristoff's whereabouts...but she didn't exactly say where. She was kind of vague when it came to him leaving Arendelle. Of course I didn't ask the details for she might get suspicious about it and she might think I plan to escape and—where is Kristoff really?"

Olaf continued to eye the book with interest while thinking of the details at the same time.

"Hmmm. Well he's farther away from Arendelle. Right now he's located near a trading post."

"A trading post?" Anna asked.

"Yup! He's currently staying at an inn near...I can't recall the name of the trading post though. Hmm. Was it "Teetering Flaky Trading Post?" Er, nope. Something like "Wonderland Something Something Post", if you get what I mean."

"Wandering Oaken's Trading Post?"

"Yeah! That's the one!"

Anna sighed in relief. She knew that place and the local shop owner was kind enough to deal with her. Hopefully with Kristoff's big ego and all, he won't mess things up. Right now, Anna was glad to hear the truth about her friend and that was one less issue to worry about.

"So," Olaf began. "What did you bring me here for?"

Anna scooped something out of Chaucer's book—a few ripped and yellowed pages with unreadable ancient texts on it and faint drawings.

"Anna," Olaf gasped, its eyes widening in shock. "Where did you get that!"

Anna scratched the back of her neck while blushing in embarrassment, the candlelight flickering at her side table illuminating the inscriptions on the pages did nothing to help her understand the texts.

"I stumbled upon it yesterday. I was sort of looking for an entertaining material and I saw this. I thought it was just filled with weird writings and poor drawings but when I accidentally ran my fingers on one of the drawings, they moved! It was like it was telling a story. I couldn't bring everything else so I ripped a few pages out. Well, the most interesting ones at least."

Anna took a particular page and touched the drawing on it. The ink made movements as they swirled and danced on the pages, taking form of what seemed to be an image of Elsa. It then morphed into an image of a snowflake, flowing toward a forest and a strikingly familiar figure approaching it. Ink splattered across the pages and a face of a troll with a huge nose appeared before the ink returned to its original form.

"There must be a meaning behind this." Anna's lips thinned to a firm line.

Olaf knitted its brows together.

"That's never happened before."

"What do you mean?"

Olaf snatched the torn page from her hands and its little hand glided along the surface of the yellowed paper.

The drawings moved again, this time forming an image of Elsa and Hans together. The ink formed layers of black circles until it eventually formed a figure that looked exactly like Olaf. The ink drained, vanishing and reappearing once more as its original drawing.

"It's different." Anna observed.

"It is. This is supposed to show something that happened which is very important to you." Olaf slowly nodded at the discovery they had just made. "I guess it varies from person to person. Mine showed how I was created."

Anna grabbed Olaf but its small, thin arms and shook the little snowman.

"What does this mean Olaf?"

"I, I don't really know. But yours is how you got your powers right?"

Anna nodded.

"And the troll that appeared at the last part!" Olaf's eyes widened in realization.

"Troll? What troll?"

The little snowman shook Anna's shoulder in excitement.

"Grand Pabbie! The troll! The reason why he was shown on the last part must mean that there's an important connection between the three of you!"

"I'm not following." Anna's frown deepened.

"Listen to me Anna," Olaf slowly stated, catching the attention of the strawberry blonde who was now all ears. "Grand Pabbie resides in the Valley of the Living Rock. There's a huge chance that he might know the reason why Elsa's powers transferred to you, and...and probably how to give it back to Elsa."

Anna couldn't care less about the reason why Elsa's powers chose her, the only thing that entered her brain was the latter part of Olaf's statement. Finally, there was someone who could help her! With this, she'd be back in the Realm Below in no time!

"Then we have to leave! Like, right now!" Anna jumped out of bed and hurried out of her chamber only to be stopped by Olaf.

"You can't!"

"What?" Anna's head whipped to Olaf. "Why not?"

The snowman heaved off a sigh.

"Because the Valley of the Living Rock can only be accessed in the Realm Below and unless Elsa permits you to, you can't go."

"Then I'll talk to her about it! This is simply just too huge to pass up. I'm sure this time, the queen will listen."

* * *

Anna grunted in pain, still not getting used to the scalds recurring every now and then. She watched quietly as the goddess intently washed away all the wounds across her body and she bit her lower lip at remembering her agenda. Surely if she was still injured, Elsa might go easy on her. The situation she was in couldn't have been any more advantageous to her.

"Um, Your Highness, uh...Your Majesty." Anna clicked her tongue, still having an internal battle with herself as to how to call the goddess.

_God, if she can just allow me to call her by her name! This would be so much easier!_

Elsa's gaze slowly travelled to her skin and then to her face to meet Anna's eyes. She let out a tired sigh—an almost frustrated sigh.

"Elsa. You may address me as Elsa."

Anna blinked.

"Um," the strawberry blonde gulped, feeling butterflies eventually fluttering inside her stomach. "J-Just Elsa?"

"Don't push your luck."

The goddess flashed a beautiful yet mischievous smile that made Anna's stomach churn and somersault in the most pleasing way possible. She couldn't help but grin herself, the goofy smile on her face becoming evident as the goddess let out a small giggle. Anna didn't know why or how, but somehow, her heart was melting. It was a good sign. What for? That she was determined to find out, but now that Elsa was in a good mood, it was time to present the idea lurking in her mind.

"Uh, right. Um Queen E-Elsa."

_That sounded good._

"How were Chaucer's stories?" Elsa suddenly cut in, dragging her fingers to bring the covers up once she was finished with healing Anna's wounds.

"Uh, they were great. Listen—"

Elsa sighed, and in an almost disheartening kind of way, she frowned.

"Anna, you know—I know I have not been much of a hospitable and kind host to you."

The strawberry blonde stilled. What was this? Was the queen really opening up? To her? Anna's thoughts all came to a stop when the goddess spoke. It wasn't because she was saying these things, it was the way how she was saying all of this.

Sincere, genuine and in an almost embarrassed kind of way.

"Queen Elsa, you don't have to do this."

Elsa hinted what was laced into Anna's statement. It was a warning to her not to soften up, to not let her emotions get the best of her, but with all the things Anna had been going through, the least the goddess could do was express her gratitude in the best way she can.

"You have been most considerate trying not to pry and force answers out of me. So for that Anna, I thank you."

Heart beating erratically, Anna forced herself not to blush but failed anyway. In her joy, her body reacted without her mind commanding it. The strawberry blonde's arms reached out, only to coil themselves around the slender neck of the goddess who gasped almost inaudibly in shock. Anna's chin rested on a delicate, pale shoulder, the scent of spring and fresh flowers invading her nostrils. All logical thoughts flew right out of the window and a ridiculous yet welcoming thought crossed the strawberry blonde's mind when Elsa slowly returned her embrace in a slow and hesitant manner.

_I want to stay..._

Anna pulled back immediately like she was burned and Elsa spared her a look of confusion and shock.

"No, I'm sorry Your Majesty. It wasn't my intention to...to suddenly think of that..."

Elsa raised a brow.

"The embrace?"

"Yes." _Not that!_

"It is fine. Rest. You will be needing every bit of it."

Anna watched as Elsa walked toward the shelves, selecting a new book to read. The strawberry blonde raised the covers up to her face and whined in silence.

How on earth was she supposed to tell Elsa now?

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter, more problems for Anna, more headaches for Elsa. Sorry not sorry!**


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